Starbucks makes a risky menu change after Panera Bread lawsuits
Starbucks has shaken up its menu this month by offering its customers what they describe as 'the ultimate jumpstart' despite Panera's energy drink fiasco.
The popular coffeehouse chain began offering three new heavily caffeinated drinks - Melon Burst Iced Energy, Tropical Citrus Iced Energy, and the Frozen Tropical Citrus Iced Energy with Strawberry Puree - on June 25, less than six months after someone filed another lawsuit against Panera Bread.
Starbucks wrote in their press release that the energy drinks are intended to 'elevate the day with a boost of sugar-free energy,' and contain a whopping 140 to 205 mg of caffeine.
The bold move to offer energy drives comes after Panera's recently axed Charged Lemonade drinks, that contained up to 390mg of caffeine in the restaurant's 30-ounce container, allegedly caused a litany of problems, from cardiac arrest to death.
The family of the late Pennsylvania college student Sarah Katz filed the first of four recent lawsuits in October 2023.
Starbucks began offering three new energy drinks at its US locations on June 25 following the removal of Charged Lemonade drinks from Panera Bread menus in the US
Panera Bread received at least four separate lawsuits between October 2023 and January 2024 after consumers claimed they suffered health complications from its charged lemonades
The family of the late Pennsylvania college student Sarah Katz filed the first of three recent lawsuits in October 2023.
Katz, who had a pre-existing heart condition, died after drinking a large Charged Lemonade in 2022.
A disabled Florida man's death was also allegedly connected to Panera Bread's Charged Lemonade, and his family filed a lawsuit against the restaurant chain in December 2023.
A Maryland woman later filed a lawsuit last January against Panera Bread and claimed that its Charged Lemonade left her with 'permanent' injuries.
However, despite the lawsuits, a Panera Bread spokesperson claimed the Charged Lemonade removal was part of a 'menu transformation,' and due to customer feedback.
Pictured: Starbucks' newest flavors - Melon Burst Iced Energy, Tropical Citrus Iced Energy, and the Frozen Tropical Citrus Iced Energy with Strawberry Puree
Sarah Katz (pictured) died on September 10, 2022, just hours after she consumed a large Charged Lemonade from a branch of Panera Bread in Philadelphia
'We listened to more than 30,000 guests about what they wanted from Panera, and are focusing next on the broad array of beverages we know our guests desire — ranging from exciting, on-trend flavors to low sugar and low-caffeine options,' Panera's spokesperson said regarding their decision to discontinue the drink.
Following the three other lawsuits, a Pennsylvania teen filed court papers in May, alleging the Panera energy drink gave him a heart attack.
Luke Adams, 18, said he consumed the drink on March 9. Just two-and-a-half hours later, a friend that Luke was with found him to making strange noises and discovered him to be in sudden cardiac arrest.
Fortunately, two nurses and a cardiologist were also in the theater at the time and began performing CPR on him while an automated external defibrillator was brought in and used to shock him.
A regular size of Charged Lemonade from Panera Bread was 20 ounces, and it had 260 milligrams of caffeine
Luke Adams, 18, said he consumed the drink on March 9. Just two-and-a-half hours later, a friend that Luke was with found him to making strange noises and discovered him to be in sudden cardiac arrest
